


Snowy Days

by allitalksfandom



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/F, Female Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by the "five times" meme, Winter Nagamas 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 09:12:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10303196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allitalksfandom/pseuds/allitalksfandom
Summary: Five encounters between Eirika and Tana in the snow





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published January 14, 2015. I described it as follows:  
> A belated Nagamas gift for jyojyos!  
> I apologize for the lateness of the gift! A little cold weather happened to be just the inspiration I needed: For the prompt “Eirika/Tana winter fluff,” here’s your gift! Once again, I’m sorry it’s late, and I hope you like it!
> 
> (Please ignore Tumblr’s fail formatting, as well.)
> 
> Words: 1,888

                The snow was as high as Eirika’s waist.

                Ephraim dragged her and Tana outside. “I’m going to jump into it,” he said, determined. He flopped onto the snow, sinking through the soft layers, before sitting up.

                Giggling, Tana followed suit.

                It was Eirika’s turn. With a shout, she leaped off of the steps to the courtyard.

                The trio stood up and faced each other.

                “We’re covered in snow,” said Tana, grinning.

                Eirika looked over at Ephraim, who had bent down and was digging in the snow. “Quick, Tana!” Eirika grabbed her friend’s hand. “He’s going to attack!”

                The two princesses ran towards a grove, shrieking as they narrowly dodged Ephraim’s snowballs. They took cover behind a wide tree, and fell over, laughing.

                “I’m glad you and Ephraim are here,” said Tana. “No one ever comes to the courtyard with me when it’s snowing.”

                “Is that so?” Eirika paused. “Then why don’t I show you how to make a castle in the snow?”

                “A castle?”

                “Yes! Ephraim and I always make one when it’s snowing.”

                The duo collected branches from the grove and carried them over to a group of rocks.

                “Now we arranged the branches like this,” said Eirika, demonstrating.

                After a few minutes of building, they stepped back to review their work.

                Eirika’s face fell.

                “What’s wrong?” Tana turned towards her friend.

                “It usually turns out better. Typically, Ephraim and I get one of the knights to collect branches for us.”

                “We should do that, too! I bet Syrene will help us!”

                “Who’s Syrene?”

                “She’s a pegasus knight! She can get the really high branches from the trees for us!”

                At this point, Ephraim wandered over. “Are you building a castle?”

                “We’re going to find a pegasus knight to help us,” explained Eirika.

                Tana pointed to a small building at the other side of the courtyard. “Off to the stables!”

                The stables felt cozy after the cold courtyard, and they found Syrene feeding her pegasus.

                Tana ran over to the older girl. “Syrene! How are you? Can you help us build a castle?”

                Syrene turned toward them and bowed. “Princess Tana, Prince Ephraim, Princess Eirika. What brings you to the stables?’

                “We are building a castle, and we need your help to gather branches from the trees,” explained Eirika.

                Syrene wore the smile that older people seemed to wear whenever Eirika was around. “Hm. Are you sure that His Majesty isn’t worried about you?”

                “We saw him through a window on our way to the stables,” said Ephraim. “We won’t get into trouble.”

                Syrene laughed. “Well, if Your Highnesses insist…”

* * *

 

                Winter came and went many times before Eirika and Tana visited the stables together once again.

                “I heard that, according to a legend, pegasi come from a land of snow,” said Tana as the pair left the building.

                “Another land? Do you mean another continent?”

                Tana shrugged. “That’s all I heard.”

                They walked in silence for a while. Tana was the first to speak. “I want to learn how to fly a pegasus.”

                “That sounds great, Tana!”

                “I have to convince my parents, though. But in a few years, I’ll be able to fly so high that I can touch the clouds! It’ll all be worth it!”

 _A few years…_ ”Tana, you want to be a pegasus knight?” Eirika’s stomach flipped when Tana nodded. “But why? What if you had to go into battle?” Eirika tried to shake visions of Tana covered in blood from her head.

                “Why would I? There’s nobody to fight but bandits, anyway.”

                 Tana didn’t understand. “Tana, I know you love Frelia as much as I love Renais, but your country needs you. You can’t just waste your life-“

                 Tana gaped at her. “I’m not ‘wasting my life!’ This is what I can do for Frelia. Everyone always talks about how Innes can do wonders with a bow… I want to protect Frelia, too.”

                 Eirika put her hand on Tana’s shoulder. “If that’s the case, then, I’ll try to understand.” She sighed. “First Ephraim, now you. I’m going to spend the rest of my life worrying about you two.”

                 Tana pointed to their right. “Look, there’s where we built our castle.”

                 “I suppose that we’re not too old to build castles, are we?”

                 Tana had already taken off towards the trees.

* * *

 

                 Another winter saw Eirika in Renais’ own courtyard. She kicked snow into the air as she turned to parry Ephraim’s strike. “Ah!”

                 Ephraim paused suddenly. “Looks like we have a foreign invader.”

                 Eirika turned around. “Tana!” Practice forgotten, the twins dropped their weapons in the snow and ran over to her. “What are you doing here on this cold evening?”

                 “I should ask the same question!” Tana grinned. “How’s the training coming along?”

                “Eirika wanted to try sparring in the snow,” said Ephraim, stretching. “Thought I’d oblige.”

                “The knights still train on days like this, after all,” Eirika added. “If they are out here, so should I be.”

                “Even if I’m visiting?” Tana sighed loudly in mock defeat.

                “Well, perhaps we can make an exception.” Eirika looked at her twin. “Right, Ephraim?”

                “Certainly!”

                The twins picked up their weapons and followed Tana inside.

* * *

 

                Caer Pelyn was disorienting.

                Eirika has never feared heights, but she now understood why some people do. The mountain seemed almost like a living being. The climb to the top was treacherous, with many twists and turns. (And, as she discovered, it’s rather easy to stumble off a ledge and fall five feet, landing painfully on one’s side.)

                Fortunately for her dignity, but unfortunately for morale, it seemed that all of her non-mounted companions besides her guide were also struggling. The horses needed urging as well; she heard L’Arachel promise her mare the finest feed she can find.

                Only the pegasus knights and their mounts seemed comfortable. Vanessa and Tana have spent most of the journey in the air, landing only when the group stopped to eat.

                During one of the occasions, Eirika was surprised to find Tana’s head and shoulders covered with snow. “What happened, Tana?”

                “Mountains are high in the sky and cold. Achaeus plus mountains equals a snow princess!”

                 The two women laughed.

                 “You know,” said Eirika, “you’ve love the snow since we were children. Was it because of pegasi?”

                 Tana frowned. “To tell the truth…” She looked around furtively and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I am actually a pegasus in human form.”

                 Chuckling, Eirika sat on a rock. She removed her satchel from her back, placed it in front of her, and grabbed her lunch. She sat back up, wincing.

                 “Are you okay?”

                 Eirika turned back to Tana. “Pardon?”

                 “You just made a face.”

                 “Don’t fret, Tana,” the Renais princess said dismissively. “I’m simply fatigued, that’s all.”

                 “Maybe you can travel with me for the next leg of the trip?

                  Eirika shook her head. “As the leader of the army, I should share the same experiences as my troops…”

                 “I knew you’d say that,” said Tana, smiling. “You have such a sense of duty.”

                  Eirika flushed. “Thank you, Tana.” Still feeling warm, she drank a sip of water from her canteen. “And you never fail to bring a smile to my face, even in times such as these.”

                  Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but Tana looked flustered herself.

* * *

 

                  The Renais monarchs and their quartet of escorts arrived in Frelia as flurries fell from the sky.

                   “It’s good to see you, Innes,” said Eirika.

                   “I’m glad to see you as well. I had been concerned that you would be hindered by the weather.”

                   “Come now, Innes,” said Ephraim. “After everything we have been through, would a little snow cause us trouble?”

                   “I don’t recall any marches through the snow during our travels,” the Frelian king responded dully.

                    Eirika sighed. “Perhaps we can get business out of the way first?”

                   “Certainly.”

                   A servant ushered the royal trio into a meeting room.

* * *

 

                   After their discussion, which lasted about three hours, Tana walked into the room. It had been a few months since Eirika had seen her last, but had the Frelian princess always looked so vibrant?

                  “I’m so glad to see the two of you,” she said, hugging them. “I trust Innes hasn’t bored you with talks of trade agreements?”

                  “Actually,” said Ephraim, nudging his sister, “Eirika suggested that we have our conference first.”

                  “Why do you look so flushed?” asked Eirika.

                  “One of the knights in my squadron has a cold, and her pegasus is expecting. I checked on her. Took a while to get to the stables, however.”

                  Ephraim raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess-are we snowed in at Frelia?”

                  “You guessed right.”

                  “Well, I suppose we should speak to our knights,” said Eirika.

* * *

 

                  The six from Renais surveyed the grounds of Castle Frelia. “Do you think we should risk traveling?” wondered Franz.

                  Seth shook his head. “Even if the snow had slowed down, the roads would be too treacherous to travel, especially at this hour.”

                  “We had debated sending a message to the border,” explained Kyle. “The guards have no idea that we aren’t yet returning.”

                  “Well, Renais has gone without rulers before,” Forde pointed out. “Let’s make the best of it, especially as it’s close to dinner…”

                  (None the others argued with his logic, as their own stomachs currently had the same motive as his.)

* * *

 

                  After dinner, Eirika accompanied Tana back to the stables.

                  “I was so busy tending to my squadron mate’s steed that I forgot to feed Achaeus,” explained Tana as they trudged to their destination.

                  “No need to explain, Tana,” said Eirika. “You’re very dedicated to your work, you know.”

                  Tana seemed intent on studying the ground. “I’m just happy that I found something I’m good at, Eirika. I never enjoyed politics like you do!”

                  “I wouldn’t say that I  _enjoy_ politics… I suppose I just want to care for Renais,” said Eirika. “But you… You aren’t embarrassed to go the extra mile when it comes to your squadron, even when you have to do something like this!”

                  Tana looked back at her and grinned. (At least, it looked like she had grinned, as the wind had just blown snow in Eirika’s face.) “Thank you… I wanted to prove to everyone that I was serious about being a pegasus knight, so I couldn’t just hand off my less glamorous duties to someone else, could I?”

                  “I’m sorry I was one of the people, who doubted you, Tana.”

                  Tana opened the door to the stables, shaking her head. “We were different people then, that’s all.”

                  The two of them went inside. Tana walked over to Achaeus and scratched him on the head. “Hey, boy. I suspect you’re hungry?”

* * *

 

                  It was nearly midnight. The two princesses were playing cards when Eirika realized that she had failed to pack her nightclothes. “Oh, blast.”

                  Tana turned to look at her. “What’s wrong, Eirika?”

                  “I have nothing to wear to sleep. Would you mind lending me clothing?”

                  “Of course not!”

                  When they had finished the game, they went to Tana’s quarters. The Frelian princess opened a chest of drawers and removed a nightgown for Eirika.

                  “Thank you, Tana. I suppose I should be going, then.”

                  To Eirika’s surprise, Tana touched her lightly on the arm. “Wait. Won’t you sit with me, just for an hour?”

                  Eirika smiled. “You needn’t ask twice.”


End file.
